Light Speed by Arkadie, L. (accelerated reader books .TXT) 📕

be loyalbeyond degree, and women who’ve regarded me with spite, loveme.”

I am greatly disturbed by this revelation.“Then you’ve used the power of light to do evil.” I release hiswrist but he quickly grabs mine instead, squeezing my arm tightlybut not so much that it hurts.

“Why does that make me evil?”

He pulls me into him and I’m light on myfeet as my body easily cooperates with his demand.

“You’re forcing your will upon anunsuspecting creature,” I answer. My head is no longer dizzy fromthe force of our touching and the warmth of his touch might as wellbe a million miles away. “You are right. If you are evil, then Iwill not hate you; but I cannot love you.”

His hand tightens around my wrist. “I didn’task for your love,” he hisses like an earth serpent.

“Then what do you want from me?” I’ve neverbeen this angry before.

A tiny smile forms on his lips and onceagain I sense deception from him. “I need you not to hate me.”

“Then release me. Then I’ll be sure notto.”

He snorts. “You still refuse to acknowledgewhat we are don’t you?”

“What are we?” I ask, and he answers bysmashing his lips onto mine.

The lightheadedness is back. Our mouths arewarm. His tongue is hot upon my tongue. This, what we’re doing,seems natural. I’ve kissed Tryst thousands of times before but notonce has it ever felt like this.

He pulls away before I do and puts his lipsto my ear. “You’re not making this easy,” he breathes. “Adore, weare bonded,” he says in the hollow of my ear.

“What?” I gasp.

But he is a peculiar being with silky whitehair and skin, and lips that are delicately pink. I would havenever guessed the creature I would be bonded to would have such anappearance. I’ve always been partial to skin that glows like thesapphire stone during the season of The Tilt. Like Ast’e’ku, amank’tak, or Enuian male, who shimmers like the Velvet Stream inthe South Orb. The Ast’e’ku’s nose curves like the beak of the birdcalled “the parrot” and he’s able to use his beautiful nostrils toblow blessings of bliss upon all who request it. He’s a beautifulEnuian, unique and desirable to the eyes, and he is consideredperfection to the heart because bears happiness.

Although I cannot say that I’m not drawn tothe Selell, his beauty is novel, very near to that ofPan’a’tua.

“But I cannot bond with you,” I confess. “Ihave to leave. My sister needs me.”

His lips are still against my ear and hedoesn’t loosen his hold on me. “Do you know what I do, Adore?” Hegruffly asks. “I take what I want.”

“And what do you give?” I automatically ask,although I can’t recognize the sound of my own voice. It’s smalland desperate.

“Ha! Nothing,” he bellows.

“And that satisfies you?”

“I want you here with me. If I let youleave, then I won’t have what I want.” His eyes narrow to slits.He’s threatening me with that look.

My defiance is reflexive and I call thepower of light to my fingertips. “If you keep me here against mywill, you won’t have me. I will battle you, Selell, and I will notlose.”

His lips stretch into a weak but tellingsmile. “Well then…” he says.

The door and the stained glass window flyopen. A black sky which lacks moons and stars settles over theearth. If it weren’t for the long poles topped by white bulbouslight fixtures casting their beams in the darkness, it would bepitch black along the redbrick cobblestone walkway and the lawnwhich holds limestone statues carved into human forms posed inprecarious positions. These sculptures intermingle with headstoneswith names and dates etched into the rock.

The Selell takes a step back to give mepassage. “You’re free to go. But I have to warn you—the humans havegone mad. It’s not safe to be out there all by your lonesome.”

“The humans have gone mad?” I ask, quiteperplexed by his assertion.

“The sun has pulled a Houdini.”

My frown turns more austere. I do believehe’s using local vernacular.

“It disappeared,” he says after interpretingthe expression on my face.

“But why?” I earnestly whisper as I observehow dark it is beyond the confines of this large and beautifulestate. “The sun has been promised to the Earth. It will neverleave.”

He sniffs sarcastically. “All promises aremade to be broken,” he says with an indifferent shrug.

I shake my head, ardently disagreeing withhim. “No, not this one.”

Regardless, because of the darkness I standhesitant to make my escape. The cold of the night settles upon me.At this very moment an emotion takes root inside of me. The fartherI try to see into the darkness that falls over the earth, the moreidentifiable this emotion becomes.

“But you’ll come with me?” I asknervously.

He’s grinning again, and I take that as agood sign. “I’ll go with you as long as you promise me onething.”

I feel my eyebrows pull into a guardedfrown. “What is that?”

“You promise not to ask my name. I’ll tellyou when I’m ready.”

It’s a simple enough request. I am awarethat he is someone who practices evil. But I cannot dismiss thepower of the bond. Other than my sisters, I feel that this Selellwill be my safest companion.

“And you’ll help me find my sisters?” Iclarify.

“Yes.” His answer is resolute.

“Then, I promise not to ask you yourname.”

Chapter3

The Decision

The white-haired Selell offers me shoesbefore we depart on our journey to find Na’ta. They are sandals butthe sort that conceal the toes with a tiny strap around the ankles.They are green and the first pair of shoes I have ever worn.

The Selell walks beside me, holding my handto keep me warm. What an honorable gesture. The radiant Selell is asilent being but in words only, not in thoughts. He often gazesdown upon me with a confused expression on his face. I do not wishto know his thoughts. They are reserved for those with the power ofthe mind. Yet his silence is welcomed, especially as I absorb allthat surrounds us. I cannot believe it; the time has come for me,Ad’ru, the first daughter of Felix Benel and Ce’lah’ime to walkupon the Earth.

My swiftness is limited in this